Tale As Old As Time
by Kerioke
Summary: He has invested in the local theatre of Britain's Wizarding Community and has decided to see what his investment is producing. Upon seeing the leading lady is interest is piqued. Beauty and the Beast based. Currently just a ONE SHOT.


Tale As Old As Time

AN: So first and foremost, I do not own any rights to Beauty and the Beast or Harry Potter. I used the 1991 animated Beauty and the Beast as my inspiration and the quotes and lyrics come directly from that version of the story. I've had this idea rolling in my brain for a while and finally put pen to paper, or really finger to keyboard. Hope everyone enjoys, for now this is just a one shot, but has the potential to become a full story later down the road. Please leave reviews, and I apologize for any major grammatical errors, I did my best to catch them.

* * *

He walked up the stairs leading to the balcony seats of the grand theatre he had just invested a small fortune in. From this moment on every show that performed in these walls would be a source of increasing his family's wealth. The current show being performed was the first all wizarding cast, and they were putting on a play based off a popular muggle children's movie. His son was rather excited to see the play after hearing his half blood and muggle born friend tell him about all these movies they had seen growing up. His late wife had refused to have any muggle related items in their home, everything had to be made in the wizarding world. Upon reaching the proper level he went through one of the private halls that opened onto a balcony, he took a seat in the shadowed area to watch the performers practice for opening night.

He had initially rolled his eyes when the theatre director had explained to him that the show was going to be a musical, but apparently that was all the rage over the last decade. As the opening notes of the first song sang through the air, he leaned back in his seat to watch.

'Little town, it's a quiet village

Every day like the one before

Little town, full of little people

Waking up to say…'

'Bonjour! Bonjour! Bonjour! Bonjour! Bonjour!'

'There goes the baker with his tray, like always

The same old bread and rolls to sell

Every morning just same

Since the morning that we came

To this poor provincial town.'

As the lead actress turned more fully to the empty audience he sat straight up in surprise. He had no idea She was a part of this show, she was always strutting around the Ministry with her nose stuck up in the air as she knocked down every opposition put in her path to help the creatures of their world gain equal rights. She was the head of the bleeding Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures! How on earth did she have time to perform in plays? Granted as he listened to her speak to the man portraying the baker he couldn't help but roll his eyes that she would of course play a bookworm, even the character opposite her was annoyed by her characters bookish trait.

'That's nice. Marie! The baguettes! Hurry Up!'

'Look there she goes, that girl is strange, no question

Dazed and distracted, can't you tell?

Never part of any crowd

Cause her head's up on some cloud

No denying she's a funny girl, that Belle.'

Yes indeed, a funny girl, no matter what role she played in life her know-it-all tendencies seemed to bleed into everything she did. He had come to realize as he got older that he had always been aware of her in school, and not just because she was the insufferable best friend of Harry Potter, but because he couldn't help but respect her capacity for knowledge. He couldn't help but wonder if her need to know everything about everything had led her to the knowledge that her old school rival now owned the theatre she was performing in.

'There must be more than this provincial life!'

'Ah, Belle!'

'Good morning, I've come to return the book I borrowed.'

'Finished already?'

'Oh, I couldn't put it down. Have you got anything new?'

The disappointed to look she placed upon her brow was so familiar to the one she would wear when the teachers would overlook her raised hand in their classes so long ago and force another less willing student to answer the proposed question. He smirked at that familiarity.

'It's my favorite. Far-off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise…'

'If you like it all that much, it's yours.'

'But, Sir…'

'I insist.'

'Well, thank you! Thank you very much!'

He watched as she moved around the set and other cast members as they sang their parts about a strange village girl who refused to fit in to the status quo. She plopped down on a magically running fountain, little house elves gathered around her dressed in fluffy white costumes to portray sheep.

'Oh, isn't this amazing?

It's my favorite part because you'll see

Here's where she meets Prince Charming

But she won't discover that it's him till chapter three.'

'Now, it's no wonder that her name means "Beauty"

Her looks have got no parallel.

But behind that fair façade

I'm afraid she's rather odd

Very different from the rest of us'

The next two characters introduced had him sneering in distaste. One of them reminiscent of a common man whore and the second an idiot…though honestly, he believed both characters to be considered idiots. He didn't like them one bit. How predictable, the man whore naturally declared that he would have no other woman than the most beautiful in the village and of course that would mean the female lead. He rather hoped her character was a smart as they were leading her up to be and would not fall so easily into the buffoon's tricks. Said buffoon now approached her looking rather smug and sure of himself.

'Hello, Belle.'

'Bonjour, Gaston.' He ripped the book from her small hands and flipped through the pages. 'Gaston, may I have my book, please?'

'How can you read this? There's no pictures!'

He snorted at the comment.

'Some people use their imaginations.'

'Belle, it's about time you got your head out of those books and paid attention to more important things.' He tossed her book down into the puddle of mud the spell cast over the stage provided. She immediately went for the book, and again a natural look of mortification she would have worn so long ago played across her face. Her character not paying the man any attentions as she saved the book.

'Gaston, you are positively primeval.'

"Cut!" The director called for the actors to cease their performance as she walked towards the stage. 'That was perfect, everyone. Let's take a break and prepare for the next scene I'd like to do some final practice on before we open tomorrow night. Hermione, would you please go prepare for the rescue scene and Belle's scene as she nurses the Beast. Everyone else, you are dismissed for the evening, get some rest and be ready for opening night tomorrow."

He watched all the 'townsfolk' walk off the stage, their facial glamor falling away to reveal their natural features. Subtle changes but effective, they now only needed to change out of their costumes. Hermione had slipped behind the curtains he presumed to change costumes, but soon returned as the stage began to morph scenes into snow filled woods. He watched her begin to play her part as the director called 'action'; she ran across the elongated stage as wolves chased after her. He had to applaud the use of charms that made the wolves seem so realistic, he wondered if they were house elves glamoured as wolves. As she fell to the ground the wolves surrounded her forcing her to back into one of the trees, then, a great beast blasted into the scene and roared with a mighty force at the wolves. The great beast began to battle the wolves keeping them from touching the girl they had previously surrounded. After the battle ended leaving the wolves defeated the beast fell the ground unconscious and the director called 'cut' again. The seen once more changed before his eyes and the actors moved in to place to begin again.

"The roar was perfect this time, let's make sure you do it just like that tomorrow too. Now, we need to get the right intensity to Belle and the Beast's argument, it has seemed a little lacking the last few practice runs." She took a seat on the first row. "Action!"

He watched as she poured a steaming bowl of water then proceed to dip a oversized towel into the water then ring it out before moving her gaze to the Beast.

'Here now. Oh, don't do that.' The actor playing the Beast gave a gravally growl as she attempted to place the warm wet towel on his wound. 'Just hold still.'

The Beast roared in obvious pain, he really must commend the man playing the part for the authenticity.

'That hurts!'

'If you'd hold still, it wouldn't hurt as much.'

'Well, if you hadn't run away, this wouldn't have happened!'

'If you hadn't frightened me, I wouldn't have run away!'

The Beast opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, the comical expressions playing across the actor's face almost brought him to expose himself to the remaining cast. He rather enjoyed to rising ire in both characters voices.

'Well, you shouldn't have been in the West Wing!' Was the response that finally filled the small silence.

'Well, you should learn to control your temper!' Defeat crossed her counterpart's entire body. 'Now, hold still. This might sting a little. By the way, thank you…for saving my life.'

'You're welcome.'

"Cut! That was perfect, make sure you do it just like that tomorrow as well. Let's do one more scene before I send you home for the night. Ballroom scene before the Beast lets Belle go." The actors nodded and left the stage to prepare, soon returning in new costumes. "Ok, Action!"

The music began again, a beautiful waltz, but his eyes were trained on the vision in yellow as she descended the staircase. He had never seen her look so exquisite at least not as an adult. He stood from his seat and left the balcony.

'Tale as old as time

True as it can be

Barely even friends

Then somebody bends

Unexpectedly

Just a little change

Small to say the least

Both a little scared

Neither one prepared

Beauty and the Beast.'

"Director, might I suggest you call 'Cut'."

Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and looked towards the dark audience.

"Who goes there?"

"My apologies for disrupting your practice, but I wished to see what my investment was bringing to the table as I've been promised quite a performance."

"Mr. Malfoy! I was not aware you were paying us a visit."

"I didn't want you to know, I rather wanted to know how everyone really worked without all the pomp to impress the new investor." He stopped next to the director and looked up at the man playing the Beast. "I did notice that your young male lead there is having trouble keeping in time to the music and thus forcing his partner to lag behind as well."

"They seemed just fine to me."

"Would you allow me to step in and show you the difference? I can promise you will be surprised how much better the scene will seem if he were actually dancing to the right beat."

"Go right ahead." She gestured to the stage. "McLaggen, come sit with me and watch carefully, I want only the best on my stage."

He watched as a brief look of relief crossed Granger's face as McLaggen moved away from her, his Beast facade fading away. However, her professional look returned full force as he moved onto the stage and asked her to return to starting point of the scene. The director nodded as Hermione glanced her direction. He smirked as he took the Beast's spot, she still didn't trust him though they had worked hand in hand from time over the years.

"Action!"

The music began again and they moved in time down to the main floor until they stood just before one another. As the words began he took her hand and she placed the other on her waist just as she had with McLaggen.

'Tale as old as time

True as it can be

Barely even friends

Then somebody bends

Unexpectedly.'

He really shouldn't be surprised that she was perfect at dancing too. He could bet that she had received proper training, her steps perfectly in time with his. He could faintly hear the director commenting on how he had been right about McLaggen's timing.

'Just a little change

Small to say the least

Both a little scared

Neither one prepared

Beauty and the Beast.'

Though, he knew he had stopped everything as this moment in the song he pressed forward. For some reason he rather resented the idea of not having a full dance with Granger, he wouldn't have admitted it at the time, but he had wanted to dance with her at the Yule Ball too. She hadn't looked away from his face since they began to dance, and he hadn't deigned to look away from her either. Maybe he should request her to be his next Ministry gala date, it would almost guarantee a far more interesting night.

'Tale as old as time

Tune as old as song…'

"Twirl me out and under your arm." He complied knowing she was directing him on exactly how the dance was supposed to go.

'Bittersweet and strange

Finding you can change

Learning you were wrong.'

Again, the director's voice filtered into his ears from the front row as she gave her actor notes to ensure he did when he returned to his place next to Granger. This bothered him, he suddenly wished he knew the Beast's parts so that he could replace the second rate that sat out in the audience now. His hands flexed instinctively on Granger's waist.

'Certain as the sun

Rising in the East

Tale as old as time

Song as old as rhyme

Beauty and the Beast

Tale as old as time

Song as old as rhyme

Beauty and the Beast.'

They came to a stop and without prompting both bowed as was proper for this waltz. The director clapped at their performance. She ordered McLaggen to get back in to character and make sure to stay in time with the music or she just might replace him. When he returned to the directors side she thanked him for his input and apologized for saying he was wrong.

An hour later he stood in the doorway of the theatre looking over the quiet street as he tied his cloak securely around his shoulders. McLaggen had shoved past him just a few minutes prior, apparently in a hurry to leave the premises. A soft cough sounded behind him, turning just slightly and looking over his shoulder at the vision of the Gryffindor Princess. She had an amused smile placed across her lips as she watched him. He stepped over to her side and offered her his arm so they could walk down the street in the company of one another to the apperation point.

"I think I should be cross with you for that little stunt you pulled in there."

"Exactly what did I do to deserve your wrath."

"You made Mr. McLaggen feel second rate." He made to retort but she pressed on and talked over his first syllable. "However, I find I was rather tickeled by how easily you showed his pompous ass up. It was about time someone put him in his place, even if it was by someone equally as pompous."

"I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or be offended by it."

"Both."

"Well then, I thank you for the compliment and will deign not to sulk too long."

She giggled softly at his joke. "What made you invest in the theatre?"

"A few reasons I suppose. One being that the War significantly decreased the Malfoy fortune and I have been doing my best to replace what we had lost due to my family's unfortunate alinement with Voldemort. Second, my son has taken an interest in these forms of entertainment since he started at Hogwarts and gained some muggle born friends. Third, I intend to shine a better light on my family, and if it means investing in the success of shows like yours then that is what I will do to prove I have turned a new leaf."

"I see, and do you believe our show has a chance of success?"

He looked down at her silently for one brief second before returning his gaze to the street in front of him. "With you as its leading lady, I rather think it has a great chance of success."

"That's a mighty compliment coming from you, I thank you for your confidence."

He smirked, the polite play on their old rivalry bringing him some amusement. "How have you and your family been over the last few years?"

"Well, it's just the kids and I these days, Ron left a little over a year ago. Apparently, my fast assent up the Ministry ladder was threatening to him, he apparently felt the need to tell me that my focus should be in our home not behind an office desk. There's no Dark Lord to defeat so my vast knowledge and ability to help others and make a change for ones who need it is not of any value anymore."

"I never understood what you saw in him if I am to be completely honest."

"You were raised in a different circle than he was so I can't really expect you to, but he wasn't always an egotistical jackass. I think that came with his resentment in himself for leaving the Auror Department to go help George run the joke shop. I certainly didn't think less of him for leaving the Ministry, George needed the help after Fred died and the joke shop really started booming after the War. It really had already been a big hit before everything went to hell, but I think the idea of there being a place solely built to make people laugh and have fun made it even more popular in the aftermath."

"Then, I'm sorry for his stupidity."

"Don't be, my kids and I are better off now. I know Hugo and Albus are rather good friends with your son. How is young Scorpious?"

"He is doing better these days, last year was hard after he mother passed away. Me learning to be a widow and a single parent probably didn't help him cope either."

"I was sorry to hear of Astoria's passing."

"Thank you."

They came to a stop at the designated apperation point. He released her arm and turned to face her instead, her chocolate eyes following his every move.

"Granger, would it be possible for me to ask you to dinner?"

"It would be possible; however, it would have to wait until after the show's running. Can you take a rain check until next month?"

"I believe I can make that work, any particular reason it has to wait until the show is through?"

"It doesn't look too good if the lead actress is seen around with the new investor, plus McLaggen has been insistent on the idea that he will be taking me out when the show is over. It would be rather entertaining when I can honestly tell him I had a preexisting date."

"I think the Sorting Hat put you in the wrong house all those years ago, or is this deviousness a new trait?"

"It was not wrong, I am a proud Gryffindor through and through, however, when you have two children with George Weasley as their uncle it is required to learn how to be devious or you will be outsmarted by the children in question."

"Touché." He laughed imagining the horror she could have had to deal with. "Then, let us part ways this night and I look forward to our date a month from now."

She nodded with a smile of her own. He took her hand in his and pressed a gentlemanly kiss to her knuckles before they both took their leave.

Fin.


End file.
